Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for History for Vocational training

The Outbreak of Civil War

On July 17, 1936, a civil war erupted in Melilla, Ceuta, and Tetuan, and on July 18th, it spread to mainland Spain. An important sector of the army (Franco, Queipo de Llano, Mola, etc.), along with traditionalists and Falangists, staged a coup. The rebels seized control of governing bodies in some cities and established a board of military officers, intending to restore order and suppress popular unrest. Within two days, the rebels had secured several forts.

On July 19th, José Giral decided to arm militias (volunteer groups) of unions and parties of the Popular Front to stop the coup and defend the Republican government. General Goded led the uprising in Catalonia, but it received little support from the civilian population....

This analysis delves into Charles Sackville, Earl of Dorset's poem, "My Opinion," penned around 1681. The poem offers a sharp commentary on the tumultuous succession conflict that marked the final years of Charles II's reign in England.

Historical Context: Charles II and the Restoration Era

Charles II's Reign and Early Restoration

Charles II reigned in England from 1661 to 1685. His early life included a period of exile when England was a republic under Cromwell's regime, the Commonwealth, following the execution of Charles I at the end of the English Civil War. This restrictive regime led to widespread discontent. In 1659, soon after Cromwell's death, the English people compelled his son and successor, Richard, to abdicate and recalled Charles...

The Genesis of World War II: Debunking the Gavrilo Princip Myth

Although Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian member of the Black Hand terrorist group, ignited World War I through his assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, his actions were not responsible for the outbreak of World War II. Instead, the devastating Great Depression, the tension-inducing Treaty of Versailles, and the rise of expansionist Fascist governments, particularly Hitler's Nazi Germany, were the primary catalysts for the second global conflict.

The Great Depression: A Breeding Ground for Conflict

One of the key reasons why it is impossible to attribute World War II to Gavrilo Princip is his lack of direct involvement in the Great Depression. This severe economic downturn, lasting...

Causes of Imperialism

Economic Rivalry

Competition between countries for lands increased military expenditure.

Political Rivalry

New powers (USA and France), alliances, Balkans conflict.

Colonialism

• Industrial development = demographic growth - life improves
• Strategic moves
• Developed countries compete for dominance = suspicion between powers

Congress of Berlin

USA, Germany, Japan VS England

Portugal, Belgium, Italy: interested in African colonies (raw materials)

German Otto von Bismarck distributed Africa.

Consequences of Colonialism

For the Colonies

• No industrialization
• Land exploitation
• Imposition of conquering power
• Destruction of ethnic structures
• Artificial borders

For the Empires

• Development of industrialization
• Strategic moves
• Arms race
• Suspicion between powers
• Prestige
• Introduced

By 1800, the London Corresponding Society and Paine’s The Rights of Man were banned by the government. As Thompson explained, every time the working classes tried to assert their rights, they were repressed. However, The Rights of Man continued to be read and circulated in secret.

Thompson´s Making of the English working class can be divided into three parts:

Symbolism and Satire in Gulliver's Travels

Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels is a masterpiece of satire, where nearly every element acts as a symbol, criticizing contemporary philosophies and customs of English society. Let's explore the allegories, metaphors, and satire Swift employs through Gulliver's various voyages.

Voyage 1: Lilliput

Gulliver's first voyage to Lilliput is rife with symbolism:

• The Egg Controversy: The debate over which end to break a boiled egg, Big-Endians versus Little-Endians, allegorizes the religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants in England.
• High Heels and Low Heels: The political parties of England, specifically the Tories (conservatives) and Whigs (liberals), are represented by the Lilliputians' footwear

The Treaty of Versailles and Paris Peace Settlement

The Paris Peace Conference (January 1919)

The victorious countries of World War I met at the Paris Peace Conference to decide on the peace conditions that would be imposed on the defeated nations.

• Woodrow Wilson proposed a peace agreement, known as the Fourteen Points, which included the creation of a League of Nations.
• Allied countries initially rejected Wilson's proposal, insisting that Germany must pay for the damages caused by the war.
• After negotiations, the Allies agreed upon the Paris Peace Settlement (comprising five treaties).

Terms Imposed on Germany

The Treaty of Versailles established particularly severe terms for Germany, including:

• Military Restrictions: Prohibition of heavy artillery,

The Spanish Civil War: A Divided Nation

In late July 1936, Spain was divided into two main areas: one controlled by the Republicans and the other by the rebels. The rebel-held territories included parts of Andalucia, Castilla y Leon, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, and a sector of Aragon and Extremadura. These were primarily agricultural areas with a conservative political orientation.

The Republican territories encompassed the North, Catalonia, the entire Levant, Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha, and part of Andalucia. These areas included major cities, industrial centers, and a large working-class population.

The Advance Towards Madrid

The rebels' strategy focused on advancing from the south towards Madrid, aiming to capture the capital quickly. By...

Roger of Hoveden’s Chronicle (early 13th c.)

This is a bilingual edition of a fragment of the chronicle written in the early 13th century by Roger of Hoveden, an Anglo-Norman monk. It is written in the form of a letter to Pope Alexander, so it is full of religious expressions.

The Normans in England

The Normans took possession of England after William “the Conqueror” won the Battle of Hastings against Saxon king Harold in 1066, a date that marks the beginning of the medieval period in England according to most historians. They brought the French language to England and professed the Christian religion.

Feudalism in England

With the coming of the Normans, a very medieval concept was introduced - feudalism, which was a social system of dependence...